All that the Old Testament foresaw would occur in the end times has begun already in the first century and continues on until the final coming of Christ. This means that the Old Testament end-time expectations of the great tribulation, God’s domination of the gentiles, deliverance of Israel from oppressors, Israel’s restoration, Israel’s resurrection, the new covenant, the promised Spirit, the new creation, the new temple, a messianic king, and the establishment of God’s kingdom have been set in motion irreversibly by Christ’s death and resurrection and the formation of the Christian church.

God’s special revelatory presence in the form of the Spirit will no longer be located in the holy of holies of Israel’s temple but instead will break out of its architectural shackles in the eschaton and spread throughout the earth. The true temple and true place of worship and true worshippers can be found wherever the extending form of God’s holy of holies presence in the Spirit goes and among whoever is included in it sphere. Consequently, wherever a true believer is, there also is the Spirit, as John 7:37-39 affirms.

To sum up, John has an already-not yet understanding of eschatology in which he sees that the latter-day resurrection, Spirit, tribulation, and temple have begun fulfillment but are yet to be consummately fulfilled.